Hey Richard, I have a question that sprouts from my starting to read Queen of the Depths. Did you have any say in what god/goddess was involved, and was there a reason that the theme was not only priests, but preists of goddesses as well? Also, according to how you envisioned it, did the Rage eminate out from north of the Great Glacier, and thus, areas nearby are affected first and strongest, or did all dragons in Faerun start feeling the effects as soon as you know who messed with how the you know what works. Thanks!

"Because philosophy arises from awe, a philosopher is bound in his way to be a lover of myths and poetic fables. Poets and philosophers are alike in being big with wonder."--Saint Thomas Aquinas

I came onto this particular project kind of at the last minute, after the artist had already painted the cover painting.Perhaps because the painting was already done, I was told that the book had to focus on a shalarin priestess of Umberlee, so no, I didn't have any input on that essential detail (everything else, however, was my idea), nor do I know why the Priests series dealt with priestesses as well as priests. But hey, why not?The Rage hit all of Faerūn at the same time. I just didn't have the extra words to include throwawy scenes of dragons tearing the crap out of the southlands, west coast, etc., but trust me, they're doing it.

I finished reading "Queen of the Depths" this week-end and I really enjoyed it a lot. I liked the approach it had to the whole issue of "faith". Especially how you depicted the quesions of faith in the FR not being centered around "do they exist" (since they know that), but around "do they care" or "does he/she want me to do that or that".

Your shalarin priestess was a great believer! Any god would want somebody like that to serve them.

I don't recall you mentioning that you have a story in the new Valdemar anthology. :)

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Maybe I did forget to mention it, Kuje. Thanks for reminding me.I do indeed have a story in the new Valdemar anthology. It's a fantasy/mystery and a sequel to my previous Valdemar tale, but can (I hope) be enjoyed independently.Perhaps this is as good a time as any to mention that I'll be writng a Warhammer novel later this year. (Let me make it clear that this is in addition to, not instead of, further contributions to the Realms.)Don't know yet when it'll come out. Some time in 2007, I hope. I'll provide more details as I get them myself.

Perhaps this is as good a time as any to mention that I'll be writng a Warhammer novel later this year. (Let me make it clear that this is in addition to, not instead of, further contributions to the Realms.)

That would be the fantasy side, right? The only novels I've read from GW have been the 40k ones dealing with Ragnar Blackmane (I loves my high-tech Vikings! )

Guess my all-time favorite character to write is Martin Rivers, who is a sword-and-sorcery hero but not a FR character. He starred in some non-franchise short stories I did a while back, and I expect I'll get back to him again someday.I guess I like him because he's smart, sensible, and heroic without being goody-goody. His goal in life is to get ahead in his career (knighthood), not right wrongs or fight evil, but he steps up when bad things are happening. In that way, he is, to my mind, more believable and relatable than many paladin- or supehero-style characters. He's also somewhat like many of the Poul Anderson and L. Sprague deCamp protagonists I identified with when I was reading their fiction during my impressionable youth.Also, his adventures are told in the first person. I enjoy writing first-person, and you don't often get to do it when you're doing heroic fantasy.

I just received my author copies of The Ruin, so I imagine you guys will be able to purchase it soon if it's not available already.And in the same shameless spirit of self-promotion, I'll remind you that the next issue of Dragon has a short story by me that's another prequel to The Year of Rogue Dragons. It tells of the first meeting of Dorn and Raryn.Also: Here are the titles and release dates for the three books in my next FR trilogy, The Haunted Land:Unclean (April, 2007)Undead (March, 2008)Unholy (Early, 2009--I didn't know Early was a month, but that's what it says on the advertising page in the front of The Ruin.)Now you guys know about as much about my career as I do.

I just received my author copies of The Ruin, so I imagine you guys will be able to purchase it soon if it's not available already.And in the same shameless spirit of self-promotion, I'll remind you that the next issue of Dragon has a short story by me that's another prequel to The Year of Rogue Dragons. It tells of the first meeting of Dorn and Raryn.Also: Here are the titles and release dates for the three books in my next FR trilogy, The Haunted Land:Unclean (April, 2007)Undead (March, 2008)Unholy (Early, 2009--I didn't know Early was a month, but that's what it says on the advertising page in the front of The Ruin.)Now you guys know about as much about my career as I do.

Looking forward to the finale of the Rogue Dragons series.

Any idea what the new trilogy is about? Even a tidbit to whet our appetites?

Evil will be dealt with swiftly as it is my duty to remove such evil from my presence.-Rozhena, Cleric/Divine Champion of Torm

At this point, can't really say any more than I've said already in a previous post: It's set in Thay and will showcase the undead of the Realms in kinda sorta but not really the same way that Year of Rogue Dragons showcases dragons. There's supposed to be a Realms of the Undead tie-in anthology, also.